


Arthur Serves

by Consulting_TARDIS_Hunter



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arthur Pendragon Has Magic (Merlin), Crack, Crack Treated Seriously, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, How Do I Tag, I Don't Even Know, M/M, Merlin Has Magic (Merlin), Merlin is a Little Shit, Plot, Slow Burn, Weird Plot Shit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-23
Updated: 2020-03-23
Packaged: 2021-03-01 00:00:53
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23285917
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Consulting_TARDIS_Hunter/pseuds/Consulting_TARDIS_Hunter
Summary: A rewrite of the series with one big change. Arthur isn't a prince and Merlin isn't his servant. Let's see how this changes things.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 50





	Arthur Serves

**Author's Note:**

> A lot was copy pasted for this first chapter, but it will diverge greatly after this. Trust me, just stick through it and read carefully. Hope you enjoy!

Merlin trudged along the countryside, on a path sure to lead to the city his mother put in his mind. Camelot, capital of the kingdom and place where his future mentor resides. He whistled a tune to himself while a faint voice led him onto an easier road, getting louder with each step.

The unknown voice spoke in a booming tone the moment he set foot onto the gravel, "No young man, no matter how great, can know his destiny. He cannot glimpse his part in the great story that is about to unfold. Like everyone, he must live and learn. And so it will be for the young warlock arriving at the gates of Camelot."

The voice set Merlin on edge, but he walked on to Camelot's gates and into the square where he looked to the man speaking to the crowd. "Let this serve as a lesson to all. This man, Thomas James Collins, is judged guilty of conspiring to use enchantments and magic. And, pursuant to the laws of Camelot, I, Uther Pendragon, have decreed that such practices are banned on penalty of death. I pride myself as a fair and just king, but for the crime of sorcery there is but one sentence I can pass."

Merlin held his breath, trembling in his boots as he watched Uther give a signal to the executioner. With a sickening slice and thump, the head of Thomas rolled into the basket. He just barely held down what little lunch he had on the road when the king spoke again into the silence of the crowd. "When I came to this land, this kingdom was mired in chaos, but with the people's help magic was driven from the realm. So I declare a festival to celebrate twenty years since the Great Dragon was captured and Camelot freed from the evil of sorcery. Let the celebrations begin!"

An old woman beside Merlin began to sob, anger rising in her voice and in the air. She stepped forward into the crowd and began to scream at the king, crowd giving her room. "There is only one evil in this land, and it is not magic! It is you! With your hatred and your ignorance! You killed my son! But I promise you, before these celebrations are over, you will share my tears. An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth, a child for a child..." Before anyone could react to her words, she disappeared in a puff of smoke, gone as quickly as she came.

He made his way inside and timidly asked a guard, "Excuse me, do you know where I can find Gaius, the court physician?" He felt a sense of relief as he wandered into his quarters, looking around he saw how versatile his methods were though some didn't exactly look like they were based entirely in science.

Merlin looked up and saw an old man getting... something up on the shelves. "Gaius?" He didn't answer, so he cleared is throat to get his attention which quickly backfired.

In a split second Gaius was falling from the broken railing, the boy's eye's flashed gold and he dragged that split second so he could drag over the bed to stop the old man's fall. Then time flowed once more.

"What did you just do?!" Gaius asked quickly, getting off the bed and stepping towards Merlin as the other stumbled over his words. "Tell me!"

Merlin stepped back from him, hands shaking. "I—I-- I have no idea what happened." He looked around him as if trying to find an escape route.

"If anyone had seen that..." the old man trailed off, looking from the railing to the floor as Merlin looked for an excuse.

"Er, no! That--that was-- that was nothing to do with me. That--that was..." he floundered until Gaius cut him off with a look. "I know what it was! I just want to know where you learned how to do it!"

"Nowhere." Merlin breathed out, looking him in the eye.

"So how is it you know magic?" He questioned the boy in front of him with his wide eyed look of panic, knowing Gaius could turn him in any moment.

"I don't!" He defended even though by his previous actions it was clear he did.

"Where did you study?" Gaius asked softly, when Merlin didn't reply his tone raised once more. "Answer me!"

"I--I've never studied magic or, or been taught." Merlin tried to answer in his fear which was only met with more suspicion, Gaius narrowing his eyes at him.

"Are you lying to me, boy?"

"What do you want me to say?!" His panic was reaching a fever pitch at that moment, even with him trying to hide it.

"The truth!" Gaius countered, undeterred by his panic.

"I was born like this!" Merlin burst out, voice trembling slightly.

"That's impossible!" In that moment he seemed to realize something. "Who are you?" He prodded at him, suspicion dripping off of his voice.

"Oh..." he took off his backpack quickly and went searching in the side of it. "I have this letter." He held out to him at arms length, waiting for him to take it.

"I-- I don't have my glasses." Gaius said instead of taking it, so the boy set it aside on a clear space on a nearby table.

"I'm Merlin." He stated, the panic easing off or him at the look of recognition in the other's face.

"Hunith's son?" He asked, just to make sure he is thinking of the same boy she told him about.

"Yes!" Merlin said with a relieved smile on his face, nodding as he put his backpack on again.

"But you're not meant to be here till Wednesday!" Gaius gestured to him up and down, sigh evident in his voice.

Just as quickly his smile came, it had faded. "It is... Wednesday."

Gaius gaped at himself for a moment, realizing his mistake as he nodded. "Ah. Right then. You better put your bag in there." He gestured to a door off to the side of the main room. Merlin slowly followed his direction before he turned to face him.

"You-- you won't say anything about, erm..." Merlin pointed to the broken railing then the bed uncertainly, nervous as a fawn.

"No." Gaius answered, the other nodding and about to walk off again until he stopped him. "Although Merlin, I should say thank you."

He nodded, not knowing what else to do before walking into the other room. Gaius watched over him during the day before he looked to the letter for answers that night. He sat down at his desk to read the letter Merlin left, pulling his glasses out and perching them upon his nose. He read the contents of it over and over to himself, murmuring the words vaguely. "My dear Gaius, I turn to you for I feel lost and alone and don't know who to trust. It is every mother's fate to think her child is special, and yet I would give my life that Merlin were not so. Ours is a small village and he is so clearly at odds with people here that, if he were to remain, I fear what would become of him. He needs a hand to hold, a voice to guide, someone that might help him find a purpose for his gifts. I beg you, if you understand a mother's love for her son, keep him safe, and may God save you both."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As Merlin watched the capital below him from his window, so did Morgana as she thought upon what she witnessed in the square today. "Morgana." Her father's forceful voice shook her from her thoughts.

"Yes?" She replied, just barely turning to Uther before he came close, forcing them to speak face to face.

"What is it? Why are you not joining us at the feast?" He asked, his movement stopping for an uncanny moment.

"I just don't think chopping someone's head off is cause for celebration." Morgana said, an edge creeping into her tone before she looked out to the square again. "That poor mother."

"Simple justice for what he'd done." Uther said as if that were to justify his actions.

"To whom? He practiced some magic, he didn't hurt anyone." She snapped back, looking at him with disgust.

"You were not around twenty years ago, you have no idea what it was like." His voice dropped into a grave tone, leaning into her space.

"How long are you going to keep punishing people for what happened then?"

"Until they realise there is no room for magic in my kingdom! You will be with me when I greet Lady Helen." Uther commanded before he began to walk off, conversation over in his mind.

"I told you! I want no part in these celebrations!" She yelled after him, defiant and irritated.

He rounded back on her and looked her in the eye, "I'm your guardian! I expect you to do as I ask. If you show me no respect at least respect our finest singer." Uther then left her without another word.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the night went on, Merlin heard the call of the booming voice he heard on the road here, now merely a jarring whisper of his name. He woke with a sudden start, gasping before remembering where he was as the sun shined upon his face. He silently contemplated what these dreams meant as he got ready for the day, walking out to the main room.

"I got you water, you didn't wash last night." Gaius said instead of a greeting, looking to the boy.

"Sorry." Merlin replied sheepishly, walking further into the room as Gaius set a bowl of porridge out on the table.

"Help yourself to breakfast." He gestured to the table and Merlin sat down, running the spoon through the watery porridge in disappointment. The other saw his opportunity in that moment, knocking over the bucket of water. In a flash, Merlin stood up and held out his hand to easily stop the bucket midair. They looked awkwardly between each other before the bucket fell to the floor.

"How did you do that? Did you incant a spell in your mind?" Gaius asked in bewilderment after he recovered.

"I don't know any spells." Merlin said quickly, shaking his head.

"So what did you do? There must be something." He was desperate for answers, wanting to know how he could help the boy in front of him.

"It just happens." He replied simply, walking off to get the mop to clean up the spill that they technically both caused.

"Well, we better keep you out of trouble. You can help me until I find some paid work for you." He picked up a couple things and set them on the table beside Merlin's breakfast. "Here. Hollyhock and Feverfew for Lady Percival, and this is for Sir Olwin. He's as blind as a weevil, so warn him not to take it all at once." He showed him each one, making sure he knew the difference. Merlin nodded in understanding, picking up both. "And here." Gaius gave him a sandwich and smiled, sending him on his way.

After quickly eating his sandwich in the hallway, he sets off across the square to deliver what he was given. First to Sir Olwin, which didn't exactly go well. But, the encounter that stuck out in his mind was when he passed through the kitchens.

"How much salt did I tell you to put into the bread again?" A blond man asked a confused looking servant, the other trying to remember it as two kitchen boys laughed behind them.

"12 grams sir?" He replied, unsure of his own answer in this regard as he shifted in place.

"That's a loaf overtaken by salt, and if you applied that to more than one that's a whole batch ruined." He sighed, holding up a stiff looking piece of bread.

"It's not that bad, it can still be salvaged." He tried to defend it, not knowing what the other boy had planned.

"Is that what your family thought of you then?" The blond retorted, irritated but still smiling.

"Hey, that's a low b-" he cut the servant off, holding up his hand.

"Tell you what, if you can eat this whole loaf without vomiting I might let you get out of punishment. Deal?" He offered, smile brightening as he did. He took the offer with a moment's hesitation, along with the bread. "There's a good boy, go on. Eat."

The servant slowly starts to eat the bread, trying not to gag as he chews and swallows the first bite, by the second he realizes this is his punishment once he looks at the three kitchen boys faces. Third and forth he is coughing and gagging, not wanting to take the next bite. "I didn't say stop." The blond said to him. Before he can take another bite, Merlin steps in.

"Hey come on, that's enough." Merlin said, trying to calm the situation between them and taking the bread so he couldn't take another bite.

"What?" The blond said irritably, raising a brow at him.

"You've had your fun my friend." He smiled and shook his head at him as he approached.

"Do I know you?" He met his gaze head on and stopped in front of him.

"I'm Merlin." He held out his hand for him to shake, which the other only glanced at and scoffed.

"So I don't know you." Merlin lowered his hand and looked down for a moment.

"No." His voice backed down in that moment.

"Yet you called me friend." He said incredulously.

"That was my mistake."

"Yes I think so." Both their voices matched in that moment, both amused and annoyed with each other.

"Yeah, I'd never have a friend who could be such an ass." With that Merlin turned away and started to walk off, the blond scoffing at him.

"Or I one who could be so stupid." He called to him, causing Merlin to stop in his tracks. "Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?" He walked to him, getting right in his face to wait for his answer.

"No." Merlin said, shaking his head.

"Would you like me to help you?" He asked, an edge to his voice as he leaned into his space.

"I wouldn't if I were you." He warned with a smile, just barely hiding a soft laugh.

"Why? What are you going to do to me?" He taunted, close enough they could hear each other breathe.

"You have no idea." His voice lowered between them.

"Be my guest! Come on! Come on! Come oooooon." He took a step back and held out his arms, knowing he would go for it. And Merlin did take a swing which would have landed if the man didn't take his wrist and twist his arm behind his back.

"I'll have you trapped in the pantry for that." He said easily as Merlin struggled.

"What, who do you think you are? The king?" Merlin panted out, trying to get his arm free.

"No, I'm his head servant, Arthur." Arthur retorted as if the other had lost his marbles, hitting him down to his knees. He yelped but smiled to himself.

"Kinda like being the tallest dwarf, innit?" He said conversationally as he was dragged to the pantry.

"You'll be the shortest one when I'm through with you." Arthur threw him into the empty pantry and locked it the moment he was in, leaving him to think on what he just did.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As day turned to night in Camelot, Lady Helen arrived at the castle, flanked by two of her guards as she went to the palace throne room where she is greeted by the king. "Lady Helen. Thank you so much for coming to sing at our celebrations."

"The pleasure is all mine." She replied, bowing slightly to him.

"How was your journey?" He asked, arms still held out to her.

"Oh the time it took sire." She sighed out as he kissed her hand and smiled brighter.

"Well, it's always worth the wait." He assured her.

"Oh it will be." She said, her voice dipping slightly.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In the morning, Merlin woke once again to that jagged whisper of his voice from below him. He pressed himself against one of the pantry's walls and stared down at the floor he was laying, hesitant to inspect it. Then he heard a familiar voice shout his name and get the door of the pantry open.

Gaius looked at him from the door with a sigh. "You never cease to amaze me! The one thing that someone like you should do is keep your head down, and what do you do? You behave like an idiot."

"I'm sorry." Merlin said quietly, looking down at the stone floor.

"You're lucky. I managed to pull a few strings to get you released, that boy really knows how to lock a door tight." Gaius murmured as he shook his head, causing the boy to automatically perk up.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you!" Merlin said, smiling childishly before Gaius leveled him with a look.

"Well, there is a small price to pay." Gaius tacked on, pulling him out of his happiness and out of the pantry.

"And that is?" He asked, almost afraid to know at that moment when he looked around the kitchen.

"You have to clean the kitchen floors."

"Can't be that b-" then Merlin looked down at the kitchen floor, a bucket and cloth shoved his way as he took in the chaos. And his work began.

A couple hours passed by with no incident, until a young woman stumbled in and nearly tripped on him. "Oh sorry!" She said, getting her balance back.

"It's alright, I'm Merlin." He reached up to shake her hand. "Although most people call me Idiot."

She laughed softly and shook his hand. "I'm Gwen, Lady Morgana's maid. And I don't think you're an idiot, I heard what you did. It was so brave."

"It was stupid." He mumbled as he went back to work, Gwen moving around him to put a basket of food down.

"Well, I'm glad you walked away. You weren't going to beat him." She replied, getting to organizing things in the kitchen.

Merlin just barely held back a laugh as he spoke to her. "Oh I... I can beat him."

Gwen tilted her head at him with an indulgent grin. "You think? Because you don't look like one of these big, muscle-y kind of fellows."

"Thanks." He looked down and scrubbed the ground a little harder, trying to get dough unstuck from the floor.

"No! No, I'm sure you're stronger than you look. It's just, erm...Arthur's one of these real rough, tough, take on the world kind of men, and...well..." She trailed off, getting some things on shelves.

"What?" Merlin put his cloth in the bucket and looked at her from the floor.

"You don't look like that." Gwen set a bag down and watched as he beckoned her closer, soon complying.

"I'm in disguise." He stage whispered to her, smiling at her ensuing laugh.

"Well, it's great you stood up to him." She backed off once more to unload the last of her basket.

"What? You think so?" He looked at her skeptically, getting back to cleaning the floor.

She moved some bags around within the cabinets. "Arthur's a bully, and everyone thought you were a real hero."

"Oh, yeah?" He asked, trying to get some stains off of the stone.

She nodded, humming a yes to him as she left with her basket.

By the time this was over, he finally understood what Arthur meant by walking on his knees and if he smelled anymore overly salted bread dough it'll be too soon. He limped his way back to Gaius's quarters where he already had food set out for him, he sat down with a wince before starting to eat.

"Would you like some bread with that?" Gaius asked from where he sat, seeing the remnants of sticky dough on his knees.

"I know you're still mad at me." Merlin said with a light scoff and a tired smile.

"Your mother asked me to look after you." He replied, moving his own bowl closer to himself.

"Yes..." he breathed out with a soft nod, swirling his spoon in the bowl.

"What did your mother say about your gifts?" Gaius asked, watching him think and smile just enough to notice.

"That I was special." He nodded in approval of that answer, catching Merlin's eye.

"You are special. The likes of which I've never seen before." He agreed with him, watching him start to eat.

"What do you mean?" Merlin questioned before he could take a bite of food, tilting his head.

"Well, magic requires incantations, spells. It takes years to study. What I saw you do was...elemental, instinctive." Gaius explained after a moment.

"Well, what's the point if it can't be used?" Merlin asked, leveling him with a look and a smile.

"That I do not know. You are a question that has never been posed before, Merlin." Merlin took a moment to consider his words, looking down in confusion.

"Did you ever study magic?"

"Uther banned all such work twenty years ago." Gaius said carefully in reply after some hesitation.

"Why?" He was confused.

"People used magic for the wrong end at that time. It threw the natural order into chaos. Uther made it his mission to destroy everything from back then, even the dragons." He leaned forward as he spoke, his voice grave.

"What? All of them?" Merlin's voice pitched higher.

"There was one dragon he chose not to kill, kept it as an example. He imprisoned it in a cave deep beneath the castle where no one can free it. Now, eat up. When you've finished, I need you to take a preparation to Lady Helen. She needs it for her voice." Both of them nodded to each other and got back to eating, silent from then on until Merlin left to take the preperation to Lady Helen.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Once he entered her room, he felt something off about it, the half covered mirror on the vanity only heightened this feeling. Merlin set the preperation down and saw two things that caught his eye, a book and what looked to be a doll made of straw. As he was about to open the book, he heard the Lady's footsteps, which made him quickly cover up his tracks.

She slowly walked in, watching him turn to her with suspicion. "What are you doing in here?" She asked firmly.

"An...I, I was asked to deliver this." He stuttered out, picking up the potion bottle from the table to quickly explain himself as he handed it to her with a nervous smile. Merlin quickly made his escape through the door, the woman in there gave him the worst feeling.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

By the time the day had dawned he shook it off and went for a walk in the crowded streets of the lower town. And he runs into the one man he didn't want to see. "How're your knees?" Arthur asked, turning around to watch him walk away. "Aw, don't run away!" He taunted with a grin until Merlin stopped.

"From you?" Merlin replied, not turning to the other as he came closer.

Arthur sighed in mock relief. "Thank the gods. I thought you were deaf as well as dumb."

"Look, I've told you you're an ass." Merlin turns to him with a smile on his face. "I just didn't realize you were the kings favorite one." Arthur scoffed at him and rolled his eyes, looking to the other two beside him. Merlin saw them too and smiled smugly. "Oh, what are you going to do? Get your kitchen boys to protect you? They probably would, for a price. Tell me Arthur, how are your knees?"

Arthur laughed and shook his head at him, taking another step closer. "I could take you apart with one blow."

"I could take you apart with less than that." He retorted, shaking his head.

Arthur raised a brow at him and smiled, giving him a once over. "Are you sure?" He saw Merlin taking off his jacket and couldn't help but laugh with the other two boys beside him. One of them handed him a pan and as he tested the weight of it he looked at Merlin. "Here you go big man." He tossed it at him, watching him fumble and drop it before picking it up again, almost pouting.

Arthur grabbed one off of his own belt and gave him a sickly sweet grin. "Come on then." He came closer, twisting the pan in his hand. "I warn you, I've been trained to put servants in their place since birth."

"Wow, and how long have you been training to be a prat?" Merlin retorted, unafraid of the man in front of him though he did back up a step.

"You can't address me like that." He said with a laugh, shaking his head.

"Sorry," Merlin looked down with a smug grin, "How long have you been training to be a prat, sir?" He looked up as he gave a small bow to him. The moment he saw the other smile, he swallowed. What he didn't see was the first swng coming, but he did step back enough to avoid it.

Arthur swung at him quickly and efficiently, "Come on Merlin!" backing Merlin into a market stall as he came down on him from a cart. They both broke one of the displays as Merlin retreated, falling back over a stall as the pan barely missed his leg. The blond hopped over it after him only to see the other backing up and falling on a bag. "You're in trouble now." He said darkly as Merlin panicked.

"Oh God." Merlin whispered, looking around for something to save him from this next blow. He saw a cart and in a flash as Arthur swung the pan, he made the edge of it hit his wrist. The blond cried out but quickly recovered as Merlin stood, backing up further.

In his panic, Merlin found a box. His eyes flashed gold as he moved it in front of Arthur, laughing when the other cried out in pain from hitting it. He recovered from the pain and went after him again, not seeing the rope pulled taunt in front of him. Never had he tripped over his own feet so much.

Merlin picked up a pan while Arthur was dazed and standing up. He took his own swing and hit his wrist on the edge of a stand he could've sworn wasn't that close before. "Do you want to give up?" He asked loudly, taking another swing that was blocked by a hook.

"To you?" The other yelled incredulously, backing up further and ducking the next swing.

"Do you? Do you want to give up?" Before Arthur can even answer he fell back on a bucket and into a pile of bags. Merlin looked into the crowd with a proud smile on his face, he felt time slow down before he crumpled from being somehow taken down by Arthur with a broom. How was he so fast?

Arthur set the broom down, smiling to himself as the kitchen boys went to pick Merlin up. "Wait. Let him go. He may be an idiot, but he's a brave one." He walked to him, close enough they could feel each other's breath. "There's something about you, Merlin. I can't quite put my finger on it." Then he walked off, leaving him to the mercy of Gaius.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Gaius practically dragged him back to their quarters in silence until he shut the door behind them. "How could you be so foolish?!"

"He needed to be taught a lesson." Merlin snapped back, back turned to Gaius as he approached.

"Magic must be studied, mastered, and used for good! Not for idiotic pranks!" He yelled while the other turned on his heels to face him.

"What is there to master? I could move objects like that before I could talk!" He said, quickly stepping into his space.

"Then, by now, you should know how to control yourself!" Gaius didn't back down from the boy in front of him.

"I don't want to! If I can't use magic, what have I got?! I'm just a nobody, and I always will be. If I can't use magic... I might as well die." He turned away and quickly went into his bedchamber, slamming the door as Gaius watched with a cracked heart.

After waiting for a few minutes for the both of them to cool off, Gaius went into his room to treat Merlin's wounds. He saw him laying on the bed as he carried the medical basket in, with a sigh he set it aside. "Merlin? Sit up. Take your shirt off."

Reluctantly, Merlin got up with a grunt and took his shirt off, revealing the extent of his bruising. As Gaius cleaned off his wounds he got up the nerve to ask him a question, "You don't know why I was born like this, do you?"

"No." He said simply, continuing to tend him as the boy sighed.

"I'm not a monster, am I?" Merlin looked him in the eye, showing his vulnerability for the first time in those few days. He looked so afraid of his answer.

"Don't ever think that." He said firmly, moving the cloth away from his back.

"Then why am I like this? Please, I need to know why." He asked desperately, making Gaius pause to think.

"Maybe there's someone with more knowledge than me." He tried to calm the boy with this, sincere in his words.

"If you can't tell me, no one can." Merlin said quietly, marking the end of the conversation.

Giaus sighed and took a potion from the basket, pouring a portion of it into a small cup to hand to him. "Take this. It will help with the pain." Merlin silently drank it and he gave the cup back, not looking him in the face.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

That night as Merlin slept, the Lady Helen and Uther dined. "Will you sing for me tonight?" He asked her after a time.

"You will have to wait, Sire." She answered over her food.

"You will not deny me." Uther said after taking a drink of wine.

"I am saving myself for my performance tomorrow." She laughed softly to herself. "Will everyone be there?"

"Who would dare to miss it?" He set his cup down, looking to her.

"How about your daughter? It seems a shame not to have met her." She said around a bite of her food, looking him in the eye unwaveringly.

"That's Morgana." Uther looked down at his plate.

"Poor child." Lady Helen said quietly, at his questioning look she went on, "Poor child. It can't have been easy to, to grow up without a mother." He shook his head and she hummed in understanding. "That bond between mother and daughter, it's so hard to replace."

"Hasn't been easy." He said quietly.

"I'm sure." Her gaze stayed steady on him now, odd in how still she was until they smiled at each other. "Perhaps if you found someone...If you remarried." She laughed lightly. "I'm sure you'd have the pick of any maiden in the kingdom."

"Well, perhaps I'll find love again. But I'm afraid it's too late to replace Morgana's mother." He said in an understated way, looking her over as if considering her.

"Yes, it's certainly too late for Morgana." She said with a smile, drinking her wine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Merlin couldn't sleep more than a couple hours that night, his mind was running with thoughts of what has happened in the time he has been in Camelot... of that cocky servant that couldn't seem to leave him the hell alone. He thought they were even after that pantry incident but apparently not, he had to beat him in a fight too. Maybe this time he'll think he's more trouble than he's worth. But that jarring whisper won't, it wakes him up from his third nap of the night.

The voice compelled him out of bed as if to beckon him down into the depths of hell, and like an idiot he followed. He followed out of the Physician's Chambers with the upmost amount of effort not to wake Gaius up. He followed down the first stairway to where two guards played dice, thinking fast, his eyes flashed with power as he made the dice fly across the room to give him just long enough to decend down into the depths of the castle. The voice beckoned on until he descended into the cave below. Laughter echoed all around him inside. "Where are you?" He called, looking around quickly.

Suddenly, a dragon burst forth from the dark depths in a flurry of movement to land on a rock before him. "I'm here." For a moment he just let him recover from the fright and admire him. "How small you are for such a great destiny."

"Why? What do you mean? What destiny?" He asked quickly, recovered from the suddenness of all of this.

"Your gift, Merlin, was given to you for a reason." He stated, easing the mind of the other in some way as if lifting a weight off his shoulders.

"So there is a reason." He said with a bit of a laugh in his voice, staying still on his perch on the outcropping.

"Arthur is the Once and Future King who will unite the land of Albion." The dragon explained, seeing the boy's skeptical face he continued. "But he faces many threats from friend and foe alike."

Merlin took a breath and shook his head. "I don't see what this has to do with me."

"Everything. Without you, Arthur will never succeed. Without you, there will be no Albion." He emphasized, leaning closer to him.

"No. No, you've got this wrong." He nearly pleaded with him, praying that he was wrong. He couldn't be stuck with him.

"There is no right or wrong, only what is and what isn't." He tried to get through to the boy, not knowing if it would work or not.

"But I'm serious! If anyone wants to go and kill him, they can go ahead. In fact, I'll give them a hand." It didn't. Not at all.

The dragon chuckled and almost smiled. "None of us can choose our destiny, Merlin, and none of us can escape it." 

"No. No way. No. No. There must be another Arthur because this one's an idiot and a servant for gods sake." He shook his head vehemently, not wanting to deal with him.

"Perhaps it's your destiny to change that." And with that, the dragon flew further into the cave before Merlin could react.

"Wait! Wait! Wait, stop! No, I, I need to know more!" He shouted after him in vain.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Merlin didn't remember how he got back to his room that night, but next thing he knew was he was waking up to Gaius yelling at him about a messy room and a list of herbs before a delivery he needed to make to Morgana. By the time he found himself fully awake he was on his way to her chambers.

"You know, I've been thinking about Joseph. I wouldn't touch him with a lance pole. Pass me that dress, will you Gwen?" Morgana said from behind the changing screen, holding out her hand for it.

Merlin paused, quickly thinking through his options. He may as well do as she asked, fetching the dress he put it over the changing screen. "I mean, the man's a total jouster. And just because I'm the King's ward, that doesn't mean I have to accompany him to the feast, does it?" At his silence she grew uncertain. "Well, does it?"

Merlin gave her a panicked, high pitched hum, shaking his head. "If he wants me to go, then he should invite me, and he hasn't." Morgana went on as he tried to find an out of this situation. "So do you know what that means?"

He shook his head and hummed again, frozen in place from this. Morgana sighed in frustration. "Where are you?" She looked over the screen to see someone covered in a cloak.

"Here." Merlin said from behind it, voice as close as he could get it to a woman's. Not Gwen's but it'll have to do.

Morgana retreated back behind the changing screen, shaking her head. "It means I'm going by myself." She said, trying to undress as Merlin tried to make his escape. "I need some help with this fastening." Merlin stopped and tried to find a way out of this just as Gwen came in. "Gwen?"

"I'm here." She said, Merlin turned to her and she gave him a look. "What are you doing here?" She asked in a whisper.

He sighed in relief and gestured to the changing screen, once she nodded in understanding he made a quick exit. By the time something interesting happened it was at dinner. Funny how the interesting things happen when that blond idiot is around.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As the court gathered in the dining hall, Arthur joked with his fellow servants about what happened between him and Merlin, feigning punches and laughing with them. Then, as if time stopped all go silent, watching Morgana walk into the room. In all her beauty, she radiated light like a goddess to them. Morgana approached a man of the court to talk. Then time resumed again.

"She looks great, doesn't she?" Gwen said from his side, startling Merlin a bit.

"Yeah." Merlin said noncommitedly, getting things ready for plates at the banquet, along with Arthur and his servants.

"Some people are just born to be queen." Gwen worked alongside him, smiling.

Merlin shook his head at her, watching Morgana interact with the other nobility with some distraction. "I hope so. One day. Not that I'd want to be her. Who'd want to marry Joseph?"

"Oh, come on, Gwen. I thought you liked those real rough, tough, save the world kind of men." Merlin teased, looking to Gwen with a smile.

"No, I like much more ordinary men like you." Gwen clarified, and looked like she instantly regretted it when Merlin gave her a look. "No, I didn't mean you, obviously. Not you. But just, you know, I like much more ordinary men like you." She sputtered out, turning away awkwardly while he nodded.

Just before it could get anymore awkward, the horns sounded to signal Uther's arrival which led to the nobles finding their places at the tables. He sat down beside his ward, and began his speech. "We have enjoyed twenty years of peace and prosperity. It has brought the kingdom and myself many pleasures, but few can compare with the honour of introducing Lady Helen of Mora." In that moment, she arrived at her place to begin her enchanting song.

"Blah khien barrah fweelah,  
Blah khien aiza krum,  
Aloe khio bragam harah eefnell," People dozed off one by one, Merlin and Arthur looking around confusedly as she stepped forward. Merlin and Arthur covered their ears to find some kind of way out of this.  
"Broe floe mesing lah, breeyoolah naaadryu.  
Sorin sar akhwah, roe hagroe nonestroe,  
Broilin sar akhwah, mortsin danah bradeh," As she stepped closer and closer to the king's table, both were hit with a shot of realization. She's going to kill Morgana.  
"Broilin sar akhwah, mortsin danah bradeh,  
Broilin sar akhwah, noe-…  
Weeben proe, proe sah yakmah, haryay nakhah:  
"Agah Madah Sadah Hagah!" As the song hit a crescendo, before Merlin can do anything, the chandelier fell upon the woman with a crack. Leaving her glamor and dagger right out in the open as people wiped the cobwebs away from themselves.

Just as Morgana and Uther opened their eyes, Mary lifted herself just enough to throw the dagger at Morgana. Quicker than a flash, Merlin slowed time to a crawl, grabbing her and pulling her out of harm's way to the ground beside her chair. The dagger dug into the seat right where her head would've been.

A silence rung out as Mary went still, everyone struggling to process what's happened. Uther stared at Merlin for a long, hard moment. "You saved my ward's life. A debt must be repaid." Uther exclaimed as they both stood up.

Merlin sputtered for a moment, not knowing what to say to this.

"You shall be rewarded, this merits something quite special... You shall be rewarded a position in the royal household. You shall be Arthur's assistant." Uther said with a smile, walking off.

"Your highness!" Arthur cries out from Merlin's side, confused and irritated as he looks at the annoying man beside him. The crowd cheered happily and the night continued the banquet long into the night.

Being an assistant to the head servant would make it a long morning.


End file.
